Why fertility has been declining in Finland after the Global Recession?

Heikki Hiilamo

doi:10.23979/fypr.85090

Abstract

A steady improvement in the economy and employment since 2010 did not stop the drop in total fertility rate in Finland. Declining fertility now includes women in almost all age and educational groups in the country. This decline has continued long enough to also indicate a dramatic decrease in completed fertility, which is a departure from decades of sustained levels of completed fertility. Drawing from a range of publicly available descriptive data, this article assesses the extent to which old and new theories of fertility are relevant in explaining this development. In conclusion, the fertility development in Finland is surprising, and challenges traditional theories on fertility, which analyse fertility from economic and gender perspectives. Social interaction theory holds more promise. However, it is very difficult to find data sources which could elucidate the role of social interaction in the fertility decline. Designing pro-natalistic policies is challenging before there is more detailed evidence and understanding concerning the key drivers of the fertility decline in Finland.

Highlights

Finland makes an interesting case with regard to fertility for two puzzling reasons
Fertility is declining in a country known for its high degree of gender equality and extensive policies to support reconciliation between work and family life, both of which have been theorized to support fertility
The number of children born has dropped below the previous all-time lowest fertility experienced during the Famine of 1866–1868, when around 8.5% of the entire population died of hunger

Summary

Introduction

Finland makes an interesting case with regard to fertility for two puzzling reasons. Firstly, fertility is declining in a country known for its high degree of gender equality and extensive policies to support reconciliation between work and family life, both of which have been theorized to support fertility. By reviewing a number of theories presented in Leridon’s (2015) overview, we chose on the basis of previous literature (Hellstrand et al 2019; Mäki 2019; Jalovaara et al 2019) three older theories (micro-economic theory, gender equality theory and gender equity theory) and one newer theory (social interaction theory), which were considered as the most promising candidates to explain the fertility pattern in Finland between 2008 and 2019 These four commonly used theoretical approaches explain fertility in the Global North from economic, gender and social interaction perspectives (Leridon 2015; Jalovaara et al 2019).

Social interaction theory

Findings

Discussion